Dog Days Are Over
by ShiroiShoto
Summary: Konoha's worst kept secret's life was mostly made out of dog days. However, no day lasts forever, and someday, even the dog days have to be over. (AU, oneshot)


**DOG DAYS ARE OVER**

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><p><strong><em>JackalsNaruto x-over_**

_28.12. 2013 – 14.1.2014_

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><p><strong><em>One-shot <em>**

**_Completed_**

_**Un-beta-ed** - beta pending and chapter subject to switching when beta-ed_

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Not owning a whit. Wait, this story is mine. Characters are not, though. Loved the song to death - it's **Dog Days Are Over** by Florence +Machine. _

_**Synopsis:** Konoha's worst kept secret's life was mostly made of dog days. However, no days last forever, and someday, even the dog days have to be over._

_**Notes:** I am particularly fond of crossovers and thought to try my hand on this one. And because ordinary female Naruto wasn't badass enough, I upgraded him - now her, a little. Cue manga **Jackals** and the awesome bladed weapons - Jackal and Delnonychus, - and you get this. _

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><p><em>Happiness hit her like a train on a track<br>Coming towards her stuck still no turning back_

The last sound she had heard - _felt _was the sharp bullets piercing her back as she shielded her son's friend - and in the dimming light she had seen the girl's teary face as she collapsed onto her, the blood in her mouth tasting of iron and something sweet. She had heard a desperate roar and then, the screams and the unmistakable squelching of the flesh and crunching bones, and despite of feeling the pain and weakness and darkness encroaching of her, she was curiously...

_...Happy._

Fragile eyelids snapped open, revealing sky blue eyes as she looked at the dirty white ceiling.

_... This dream again. _

The girl's lips twitched into a facsimile of a smile, her stare seemingly looking past the cracked ceiling. Such a confusing feeling, this happiness...

Especially because she didn't get to experience it much in her life.

Weak winter sunlight illuminated her skinny shoulders, still tanned despite of being wintertime, and her pale hair was curiously switching between the gray and the slimmest threads of gold, making in for an unusual platinum shade which was spread like halo on the small pillow. The lines of face were slim, and some would say they made a rather exotic picture as a whole - narrowed blue eyes, small straight nose, elegant eyebrows of the same pale shade like her hair and a slim jaw. The skin was of a warm caramel color, the color enhanced by the three curiously whiskers-shaped birthmarks on the cheeks.

She could be termed lanky, what with her limbs being placed all over the small cot, in a futile effort to be covered by the rather old blanket. Yawning, she stretched, not minding the blanket slipping away slightly, showing that she was clothed in a little too small sleeveless shirt. Despite the coldness of the room, she stretched like a lazy cat that was overindulging itself in its favorite sunspot, before rolling out, ready to do her usual morning routine.

Her lower body was similarly scantily clad in pale gray panties; the cotton fabric hugging the curves jealously as if clinging to them would keep them safe from unwanted stares, not that there were any. Sluggishly, she picked an orange jumpsuit and a pair of a fresh underclothes before ambling into a bathroom - more like a shower room - it consisted only from a shower and a small toilet, both of the utilities were cramped in a small space, so it took some expert maneuvering to get in, place the clothes on a top of the toilet before shucking off her clothes and slink under the barely tepid shower.

She didn't dawdle with the hygiene much – a short shower, quick scrub down, clothing and then she padded into the kitchen in search to grab an apple or two before starting her day.

Cool blue eyes looked over the waking village silently as she contemplated her latest dream...

... no, memories of the past.

Life was funny that way. She never thought to be reborn – heck, for all she had done, if she were religious, she would have sooner expected to find herself in hell.

But here she was, alive (not appreciated), an orphan (nothing new), despised for something (irksome, but could be dealt with) and with her old memories skulking through her head (unusual, but still better than anything. At least she could say she had an interesting former life, if nothing else.)

And this was the beginning of a new (and yet the same old) day for one Uzumaki Aya, the Kyuubi container and a pariah of Konoha.

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><p><em>She hid around corners and she hid under beds<em>  
><em>She killed it with kisses and from it she fled<em>

"_CATCH THE BRAT!" _The roar echoed in the otherwise peaceful village, disturbing some, but most of the people were used to the antics of the cavalcade enough to either get out of the way of the … brat and it's pursuers or if they were too slow, they cursed the brat or they made bets just who would be the poor schmuck to be the Jinchuuriki's victim this time.

It was like some kind of a ritual - unchanging and sure like the coming of the sun after the night. Something would happen, usually in the vicinity - or courtesy of the Jinchuuriki - and then the chase would be on. The funny thing was that most of the time, the shinobi in pursuit were utterly incapable of catching the culprit, so it was some kind of a hazing exercise and a gag to have the newbies to try and catch her – not Genin or Jounin, but ANBU trainees were the poor schmucks that were roped into the exercise, with an occasional Jounin joining in, if only to try to earn the sizable bounty on the brat's head. However, what made the mission both interesting and aggravating was that…

_SPLAT! _

"_AAARGH! WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU ARE A DEAD MEAT! DO YOU HEAR ME!_" The furious howl of the ANBU in pursuit roared after the smirking culprit.

… the brat was an expert of using the environment and traps to its advantage… meaning the victim of the moment somehow managed to trigger the simple trap that made him wet to the bone, and considering this was a winter time, the prank was more than only a small disturbance. The comrades behind him snickered at his misfortune, before continuing the merry chase, leaving the wet-to-the-bone-and-soon-to-be-icicle shinobi hiss and curse both at them and the cause of his of the chase.

The brat in question smirked. "What a loser." She muttered as she ducked through the crowds, her eyes already searching for the secret passage as to evade the pursuers for some time. "Even Hans was better than this, and he was just a milk-toothed brat._"_

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><p>Meanwhile...<em>"Ah-Choo!" <em>A pale blonde haired man sneezed, making the snake mistress eye him concernedly. "Are you okay, Hans?" She asked softly.

"I am alright, Arsella. For some reason I have a weird feeling that I should be both honored and irritated." The new leader of Gabriella muttered before looking back at the latest report. Damn, that Requiem guy was really interested in finding them, huh?

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><p>"I've got you now." The quiet voice sounded as she felt the cold steel on her neck.<p>

She smiled. "Oh? Did you really?" Dark eyes behind the weasel mask only had a time to widen, before he had to dodge the _wakizashi,_ and even then, there was a smooth rip across the flak jacket, clearly indicating that if he hadn't had it on, he would have been a dead meat right then and there. But there was no time for contemplating, because she already swung the blade and he was pressed to intercept it with his kunai, making the steel ring clearly through the air.

She hummed. "You got better." She commented, before somehow acquiring the second blade, making the ANBU scramble for the katana. "But not good enough, Weasel-chan."

The ANBU in question uncharacteristically growled with frustration. "Have I told you that you are very annoying today?" he ground out as he dodged her lunge, and then parried back like some kind of a demented praying mantis, making the slender, orange-clad girl chuckle with amusement. "You just did." The blade flashed in front of his eyes, forcing him to jerk his head back and then, he yelped with surprise as she tripped him, making him fall into the cold white snow, the orange clad body following only a smallest fraction of time behind, as she straddled his stomach.

"I win again, Weasel-chan. What should I do with you, hum?" Her only answer was a frustrated huff, but the ANBU didn't deign to do anything else. "You could let me go." The ANBU suggested, but the long-suffering tone of his voice indicated that he didn't believe in this course of action.

Blue eyes blinked at him. "You're right." She hummed as she tilted her head at him, looking like a curious baby fox. Only, this little baby fox was also a deadly one. He knew that only too well - she was the only one he couldn't win against in the hand-to-hand spar - for a pre-Academy brat she was surprisingly fast and knowledgeable on how to defeat him, even with his supposed status of the prodigy and considerable battle experience. However… she was, much to Weasel's frustration, simply better and faster.

His vision was temporarily obscured and he felt a cold winter air on the lower part of his face, before he felt warm, slightly chappy something place a small pressure on his lips. "Merry Christmas, Itachi." She breathed against his face and he could smell the bitter scent of sage tea from her mouth, along with something like sweet peaches. He stiffened with shock, but before he could do anything, she already placed the mask back on his face and was gone, as if she had never been here.

The ANBU remained still, not believing what had just happened.

'_Merry Christmas, Itachi._' The three words whirled through his thoughts evoking a wild, unpredictable storm of confusion, warmth and embarrassment.

Finally, he twitched as he pulled his mask down on his face, still feeling his cheeks practically blazing with heat and his lips were curiously tingly. He licked them, just because - he tried to convince himself – but the faint taste of tea and something like sweet peaches made him flinch with the alien feeling and the curious need for more. Slowly, he stood up, and then, he suddenly stiffened.

_That brat had stolen his first kiss!_

This winter evening, Weasel's colleagues were treated to seeing their comrade in a rather… fine temper. Even hyperactive Hebi, who usually teased the young man, refrained from messing with him. However, what nobody knew was, that Weasel's little encounter was the unexpected highlight of his winter holidays, no matter how weird it was- even if he did begin to question his sexual preferences.

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><p><em>With every bubble she sank with her drink<br>And washed it away down the kitchen sink_

She grimaced as she downed the foul smelling tea. She didn't like to drink it, but she still had the occasional pains from the old injuries – training again was a bitch to get through, and with her body in a state it was right now, the injuries accumulated faster, even if for some reason, she had a freakish healing factor built in. Not that it stopped the injuries from hurting less. What she wouldn't have given for an opium-filled pipe... Sighing forlornly, she glared at the empty cup and washed it in the kitchen sink. It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on the memories of the past, even if she missed them.

Closing her eyes, she saw them again.

Her little boy, oh, how much had he grown… so strong, so passionate.

_His little girlfriend._ She chuffed, amused at her boy's overprotective streak over her, and remembering her father's occasional reports about her son's progress, especially his denials that Sheryl would be his future wife.

_Iron Hand_ Rick and _Darkness_ Isaac… both of them worthy opponents she was honored to cross her blade with…

And _Iron Hand_'s son…Huya Requiem. Her lips quirked with amusement when she remembered how Nichol had protected the dark-haired youth. So very foolish, that dear son of hers, so ready to believe the good in people… and yet. They would have been good friends, those boys, if only…

Sighing, she shook her head. "I can only hope he heeded my advice." Aya muttered to herself softly.

Her hand went through the strands of her hair, the platinum color dimmed in the weak light of the small light bulb. Sighing again, she looked around again, before deeming the small place sufficiently clean and going into the bedroom, casually plucking a couple of knives to practice her knife throwing out of the throwing board on her door. She may be young but she was no fool - the world, despite lacking the gangs that littered Friedrichstown was far from peaceful and safe. And with her living alone and under villagers' heels, she had no illusions she could survive without some kind of self-defense.

Whoever would want to fuck with one Uzumaki Aya, was bound for a very rude - and lethal – surprise.

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><p>She was the weird kid - not associating with her year mates, and when she was in the park, she was always on some bars, doing chin ups, be that ordinary ones or one-handed ones or crunches when she was hanging from the bar. They called her a weirdo, and some of the boys even attempted to goad her into anger, but she didn't heed them, much to their ire, and when some of the more foolish ones tried the exercises the slender girl was doing, there were injuries, tears and angry parents, but in the end, she was left alone. Of course, she had been bothered by that Yamanaka loudmouth of a girl - honestly, didn't the girls have any training to do instead of bothering her with their naïve views? Aya huffed. For all of their talk of wanting to be a shinobi, they didn't have a slightest clue just what that meant. Rolling her eyes heavenward, she began another one-handed chin-up, her body sweating and trembling under the strain. Gritting her teeth, she narrowed her eyes. Hell, no, she won't give up! Absentmindedly, she looked at the kids who were… jeering at something.<p>

"Loser! Weirdo eyes!" Some kids called out as they circled a small blue-haired girl in a beige jacket who flinched away from the jeers of her tormentors. "P-Please – " Her voice was timid, like a mouse. "Don't – "

"Weirdo! White-eyes weirdo!" One of the kids called out, grinning nastily at the trembling girl who looked as if she would burst in tears at any given time. One of the boys made to push her.

Ice blue eyes narrowed. "Hey, bastards! Leave her alone!" She called, reverting their attention to herself.

The small group looked at the caller - it was that orange-haired kid, obsessed with hanging from the bars. "And what will you do if we won't?" One of the boys, with messy dark green hair and dull brown eyes asked, smirking nastily.

Cold blue eyes looked at the bully as the orange-clad kid released the bars and jumped on the ground, making their eyes widen with amazement. He had been at least six feet and a half high, and he had jumped down as if that were nothing! "Teach you a lesson, of course." The boy replied shortly, making the ringleader flinch at the look in those blue eyes.

The boys chuckled. "Yeah? You and what army?" Another one, this time with mousy brown eyes and gray eyes called out, smirking mockingly. He was taller than the orange-clad boy at least for a head, and he was fairly certain of his chances to beat the runt into the ground. Instead of getting furious, the pale-haired shrimp only smirked, his finely crafted face alight with a devious intention.

"Who says I _need _an army?" He said back, and before they knew it, he was in front of the weirdo eyes, kneeing their ringleader in the stomach, making him yelp with pain and crash on the ground. Eyes widening with shock and outrage, the other kids tried to get a hit on the punk…but without avail.

Five minutes later, the bullies fled, with their proverbial tails between their legs, bloody, crying and swearing not to cause any trouble to the weirdo-eyes lest they catch the painful attention of the orange-clad freak

"You should stand up for yourself sometime, you know." The blue-haired girl flinched at the remark aimed at her. "S-Sorry! And u-um, t-thank you." She hastily bowed, pale eyes looking at her savior with fear, apprehension and gratitude.

"Tch. Who are you?" The boy asked her, piercing her with those cold blue eyes, making her flinch back at the intense stare. She flushed with shame. "I-I am Hyuuga Hinata, n-nice to m-meet you?" She quickly stuttered out as she bowed again, involuntarily cringing and chastising herself for her forgetfulness. She flinched as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Stop that." Her savior commanded her, making her flinch. "You don't need to kowtow to me –I am not Daimyo. I just did what was right." Hinata blinked, confused. "B – But - "She tried to oppose, but cringed instead. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Was not your fault." The boy answered her, a faint smile on his lips. "Will you be alright now?" She nodded frantically. "Y –Yes!" The boy released the hold on her shoulder, leaving her strangely bereft of the warmth of that small and slender hand. He turned around. "Now, if you excuse me, I have some training to d – "

"C-can I come along with you?" She interrupted him, her cheeks flushing with mortification at her unruly tongue.

The boy looked at her. "If you want." He headed back to the bars, his attention already at the next task.

"U-Um, what is your name?" Hinata asked again, sure that she was red as a fire hydrant in the face by now, but if he were angry he would already stopped her, wouldn't he?

The boy coughed with surprise. "Oh, I didn't tell you, did I?" He muttered, and a small, sardonic smile on his face. "Aya, but you can call me Roxy."

And Hinata smiled. A true smile, even if it was still small and kind of pale, bloomed on her face. "N-nice to meet you, Roxy-kun." The boy coughed with surprise, but waved off her concern with a quick smile.

Meanwhile, _'Roxy-kun'_ pondered whether she should say Hinata was using the wrong suffix. It was decidedly strange to hear her female name alongside with male suffix… but meh, she could bear with it.

Besides, it should be amusing sight when they would find out her real gender, anyway.

Thus, Hinata found her role model and first crush, and Aya got her first friend.

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><p><em>The dog days are over<br>The dog days are done_

Graduation from the shinobi academy was both a ceremony and a farce. Ceremony because it was needlessly pompous, what with announcing the rookie of the year, the _dobe_ and the teams, and a farce because despite of 'passing' the Academy exam, there would be only a handful of kids that would be instated in the shinobi system as a proverbial grunt dogs - that is, Genins.

Most of the kids were excited as only kids can be, even the ones from shinobi families or clans surrended to the excitement for today, relieved that the dog days of training and mind-numbing written assignments along with tests and exams were through. Now, there were chatters of who would go with which them with who, even if they were speculations at most, because despite of the instructors having a hand in forming the teams, the final decision on whether particular team members would be stuck together or not, was dependent on Hokage. Of course, there were some sure-fire teams, like Ino-Shika-Cho formation, but they weren't always deployed, so everyone was nervous.

Hinata was sitting in her seat, fidgeting nervously as she chewed her lower lip. Where was Roxy-kun? Last night, the boy had visited her - how he managed to sneak past the Hyuuga guards was a mystery to her, but he had come, his usual orange jacket soaked with blood and with the headband hanging around his neck. The vision he made almost gave her an heart-attack, but she was happy that he had passed the test, even if he was tight-lipped on just how he had done that particular miracle. Early on, Hinata had become aware on just how biased the instructors were to her friend, and even if Roxy-kun was indifferent to it, she knew it had to hurt him, and so, she resolved to help him as much as she could.

She kept her word - and consequently, she was constantly pushed along her friend, thus having almost no time for regrets or self-pity. Whenever she didn't have training with her father, she was out with Roxy-kun – at first, Hyuuga Hiashi had opposed to that unusual friendship, but Hinata had had enough and in a fit of temper refused to cease associating with the platinum-haired boy. The Hyuuga clan head was surprised at his eldest refusal, and stated if she could win over Hanabi, she would be allowed to associate with the ruffian… and if not, then Hinata would have to stop any and all communication with him. Much to his surprise, Hinata agreed, and in the match, she practically steamrolled her younger sister so much that she had to be carted off to the hospital to be treated for injuries. When Hiashi asked her why was she so hard on her own sister, she stared at him and said that some things were too precious to her to just lose them. The Hyuuga council was in an uproar, but Hiashi kept his word - Hinata was allowed to come and go as she pleased. Even if she still seemed to be a wallflower of her class in Academy, it was clear as a day that she was head and shoulders above her female classmates in the term of skills, thus making her a very desirable teammate for the potential teams.

In comparison with her, Roxy-kun was an enigma. Uzumaki Aya, for some reason a pariah of Konohagakure, and still allowed to attend the Academy. His practicals were baffling - while Hinata had witnessed her friend hitting the targets with lethal precision when they were training together, in the academy, he hit just enough to be considered for a passing grade. Theoretical grade was the same - he had been passing by the skin of his teeth. And while he had more than enough chakra, the _Bunshin _technique was a constant thorn in his proverbial heel because it was just too flimsy to handle the torrent of energy when formed. That made moth of them frustrated - while Hinata had found the _Mizu_ and _Tsuchi Bunshin_ variants they didn't dare to experiment with them because they were elemental clones, and with them not knowing their elemental affinities, they were stuck. When they found out that one of the required techniques for passing the academy exams was a _Bunshin_, Hinata was devastated to be parted from her friend so soon. So it had been a downright shock for her that Roxy-kun had passed _'that'_ portion of the exam, even if belatedly. Roxy-kun didn't really tell her how, and she didn't ask, trusting him that he would tell her when he would be prepared. For now, she was just happy they would be together.

The door opened, and the two class banshees barged in.

"Ha! I win, Ino-pig!" The pink-haired girl exclaimed, smiling smugly at the fuming blonde. Hinata dismissed the everyday squabble and instead smiled at the orange-clad form that stepped into the room.

"Oi! What are you doing here, deadlast!" Kiba's annoying voice attracted the attention of the class to the dobe and Hinata had to suppress the urge to hurt the dog boy. Sometimes being a shy wallflower was not a good position to be in, and especially not when she was hounded by Kiba to be his woman. Even if she kicked his ass in a spar - not too much, of course – the flea-bag still came back panting at her heels and bragging about him being an Alpha.

"I passed the exam, dog-breath." Roxy-kun replied coldly. "Ha, you probably cheated!"Kiba grinned back cockily. "You are just too much of a _dobe_ to pass the exam like us, the real shinobi!" He grinned as he noticed the platinum-haired boy glare at him, ready, willing and able to kick the fox-boy's ass. However, the said fox-boy ignored him and sat beside Hinata, making him growl with anger. "Hinata." The Uzumaki greeted his friend, making her blush fainly. "Roxy-kun." She replied softly as she smiled at him gently. Kiba twitched. "Are you even listening to me?!" He roared at the orange-clad baka, ready-willing and able to deck him one. He swung, however he miscalculated as the fox-boy ducked and flailing comically, Kiba fell forward, his eyes widening with horror as he found himself kissed the only and one Uchiha Sasuke.

"_NOOOO!" _The howl of utter despair from Sasuke's fangirls made him cringe, as he scrambled off of the boy, hacking and coughing. "That was disgusting!" He cried out, but his excuse didn't' save him from a good pummeling from both Ino and Sakura.

Hinata and Roxy chuckled at the canine ninja's demise and Akamaru's despondent shake at his master's stupidity.

"_SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN, YOU DAMN BRATS_!" Iruka's booming voice made all of the spectators scramble back in their seats quickly. No one in their right mind wanted to be a target of an irate Chuunin who had the access to the _Demonic Mask Of Terror_, after all.

"Now, for the teams…." Iruka's voice drifted over them. "… team seven-Uchiha Sasuke, "-a grunt – "Haruno Sakura," - a happy squeal "Ha! True love conquers all! Take _that_, Ino-pig!" " – and Uzumaki Aya. Your sensei is Hatake Kakashi." Hinata deflated. "Team eight - Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba. Your sensei is Yuuhi Kurenai." A victorious howl echoed through the classroom, making Iruka glare at the culprit before he continued.

"We are not together." Hinata whispered, subdued. Her friend shrugged. "Don't worry, we can still hang out." He muttered back to her, making her smile a small smile. "You are right, Roxy-kun. Shall we meet at Ichiraku?" A simple nod made her small smile widen and relax in her chair.

Come what may, they would always be together.

Friends forever…. and hopefully, someday maybe something more.

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><p><em>The horses are coming<em>  
><em>So you better run<em>

Hatake Kakashi repressed a long-suffering sigh. He understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made, but for him to be saddled with a prospective team once again just rubbed wrong against his proverbial fur. From what he had seen, he had one pinky banshee-like fangirl, one avenger, and one orange-wearing _dobe._ If he could, he would have kicked them back to the academy, however the orders were orders - the last Uchiha had to pass, by hook or by crook, and he was stuck with almost impossible task to ensure that they somehow miraculously pass the test with the 70 percent failing rate. He rubbed his temple, wishing to quell the headache brewing inside his skull.

"Obito, you son of a bitch." He groaned as he closed his eye. That damned Uchiha of an ex-teammate had accidentally found a sure-fire way to annoy him even from his grave, and with him being the last loyal possessor of Sharingan, he was the unfortunate bastard that got the joy to teach the Last Uchiha how to get the swirlies. That wouldn't have been so bad, except he had to pass probably the most incompetent team in the Konoha history …_legally._

The initial meeting was boring - the pinky was Sasuke-fanatic, the Uchiha was an avenger, and the deadlast was the only one relatively normal among the bunch, even if Kakashi did wonder just why did the boy wear almost blinding orange as his choice of a professional wear. It was also troubling to hear that the boy didn't have any notable likes and dislikes, and his dream was also strange - to know that his precious persons were doing well – Kakashi didn't need to be the sharpest tool in the shed, to know that the boy didn't have many people that he would consider to be his precious persons - if he had to count them, they would be counted on the fingers of one hand – Sandaime, Hyuuga Hinata, the Ichiraku couple and … that was it. Sad, but true.

He had _'suggested'_ them that they come for the test with empty bellies and at an unreasonably early hour just out of spite, even if he regretted it later, because it was counterproductive of him having to pass the team. Now he could only pray for a miracle that would help the greenhorns somehow pass and save him from the civilian council's nagging. And watching them interact - correction, Sakura nagging the Last Uchiha for a date didn't heighten his hopes any. Nor did that strange brat with his eyesore of an orange jacket. So with a resigned sigh, he jumped down from the tree and upon landing, he waved at them cheerfully.

"Yo!"

"_YOU'RE LATE!" _His _favorite_ - note the sarcasm - pink-haired student screeched at him, making him inwardly wince at the loud volume of her voice. How in the hell was she even considered for a shinobi program what with her being so loud? Whoever was an examiner at the time had to be high as a kite to deem her ready for the fieldwork.

"So, my cute maybe-students, we will be doing it like this." Kakashi smirked behind his mask. Ahh, torturing the newbies… what fun. After a long explanation and one fairly disbelieving pinkie, he surmised the challenge in a single sentence.

"Come at me with the intent to kill."

Green eyes widened with horror, black were narrowed, and the blue ones… he blinked. Was that a flash of gold?

"You have five seconds to hide - five…four… three ...two...one. Oh?" He quirked an eyebrow at the orange-clad boy in front of him. "Why are you not hiding?"

"It wouldn't serve anything." The boy answered baldly as he smiled and for a moment, Kakashi was enchanted by the vision. Nonchalantly, he pulled out his favorite entertainment.

"So entertain me." He answered boredly. Besides, there wasn't much the deadlast could do, was here?

His instincts screeched at him not a moment later, and he hastily switched staring with fascinated horror as the log he had switched with was shredded with the monster of a blade.

"The fuck?" He managed to say. This… killing intent was _unreal!_

"You _did _say no quarter, Hatake." The boy reminded him, smirking. And then, he jumped after him.

Kakashi barely managed to make the signs for _Hosenka no jutsu_, which was blocked by the blade, before he switched again, intent to catch his student unaware –

- Only to barely dodge the blade that was aimed at his throat. "W-Whoah!" He yelped, his single eyes wide with shock.

'_T - That is not the speed of an average Genin! Heck, if I wouldn't have known better, the brat is - !' _His frantic musings were interrupted again as the branch he was standing on abruptly broke under his weight. '_S-Strong too!'_

He barely managed to dodge the fire flames -_'Wha -Fuck, they are cooperating!'_

He had escaped with singed hair looking wildly after the orange-clad boy, but he had vanished as if he were never there.

And then, Sasuke Uchiha engaged him.

Hatake had to admit he wasn't fighting in his top form, considering that somewhere in the forest there was a maniac with a huge blade just itching to use it on his person. So instead of a leisure examination he had thought to do, he was pressed into short and not so sweet version - pulling off the _Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu_ to get the brat buried. He would have liked to see him dead, but if that option wasn't … well, _optional,_ he would have to be petty and satisfy himself with a _'buried' _part. For a moment, he considered to use the same jutsu on Uzumaki, but then he shuddered. Big. Blade. _No. _Just_… No._ He crouched at the Uchiha's head. "Good, but… not good enough. But with enough of time, you may have been onto something.

He left the brat to steam in his own juices, happily chasing after the pink-haired prey.

As expected…she was a total disappointment. Kakashi sweatdropped.

Sighing, he turned and… **_CLANG!_**

"Fuck!" The expletive escaped him, as he had to jump away, the sliced through kunai clattering on the ground. "Where the hell were you?!"

An arched pale eyebrow greeted his question. "You don't need to know." The orange-clad boy replied, his hand swiftly bringing the enormous blade behind his back as to prepare for another of those monstrous swings.

_BRRR-RRIIING_

Kakashi's tense form uncoiled slightly.

_'Whew. '_

Saved by the bell. Seriously.

* * *

><p>So, there they were. One orange-jacketed blade maniac tied to a tree, one sulky avenger sitting on the ground and one pinky standing, looking at him with big moony eyes.<p>

Kakashi exhaled. "There's no need for you to go back to the academy." He said, smiling cheerfully.

He watched the pinky smile, the avenger perked up - just a little - and the orange-clad boy was, much to his disappointment, utterly indifferent to the good news.

Now, for the bomb.

"Instead… all three of you should _quit_as a shinobi!" he growled at them.

And then, the avenger snapped.

Jumping up, the Last Uchiha ran toward him, but before he could even reach him, Kakashi tripped him, and just for the heck of it, sat on him.

"B-But _why?" _The pinkette stammered, her green eyes huge and wounded, the perfect picture of save-me civilian maiden.

"Because you didn't understand the test." Kakashi snapped back. "Did you ever hear about a team with only _two _members?"

"N-Noo?" Sakura hesistantly asked. The orange clothed brat tilted his head. Kakashi twitched. "And I had high hopes when you two," He addressed the Uchiha and Uzumaki – "- did that combo with blade-fire combo." He grumbled to himself.

Cold blue eyes narrowed. "You wanted us to use teamwork." The brat concluded, making Kakashi nod his head toward him.

"And bingo. One of you three finally gets it. What a shame it has to be a so -called _dobe_ of the class," he mocked them, making the avenger growl with helpless anger and the girl flinch.

After a small stare down, Kakashi relented. "Fine. One more chance. But don't, and I repeat,_ DON'T _feed the Uzumaki!"

With that, he _Shunshined_ away.

* * *

><p>Sasuke was an Avenger. However, this day was full of surprises- - mainly on the dobe front. The <em>dobe<em> – no, Uzumaki - was anything but a _dobe_. He didn't use any jutsus, but that enormous blade of his…and his speed…Uzumaki had gotten Hatake unprepared so many times, and if they had cooperated…Sasuke closed his eyes. That combo Hatake had mentioned… if they had done it together, they would have gotten the bells.

He would be useful.

"Here. Eat it." He offered his share of bento to the still boy, his voice indifferent as he forced himself to hide his apprehension.

"S-Sasuke kun!" The pink fangirl squeaked, but a glare from him cowed her in. She hesitated, but finally, she pushed her portion forward too. "U-Um, well, I am on diet… so take my part too!" She whispered, blushing.

"Now we have to make a plan to – " Sasuke began, but suddenly, there was a poof of smoke –

"_YOU GUYS - !"_Hatake's roar made Sakura jump up and squeak, and Sasuke instinctively clutched his kunai –

"-Pass?" His thunderous roar ended in a small squeak as he felt the sharp end of the enormous blade at his privates, courtesy of the orange-clothed brat - and just when did Uzumaki have time to free himself?

The platinum-haired menace smirked.

"H-How did you?" Sakura's stuttered as Sasuke watched the standoff with wide eyes.

Uzumaki tilted his head. "Practice." He answered simply, making Sasuke's eyes narrow.

Just where did that _dobe_ hide such an enormous weapon, anyway? It was like he could materialize it at his own will. However, that still posed the question just how did he untie the ropes so fast.

"Of course." Uzumaki replied cordially as he removed the weapon, much the Hatake's relief.

"We passed? Seriously?" Sakura asked, smiling.

"Of course. You weren't the usual morons who follow the rules. Everyone else just did what I told him to do. However, a shinobi has to see underneath the underneath… and those who break rules are trash… However…those who don't take care of their comrades… are lower than trash."

Sasuke eyed the _do_-no, Uzumaki. He had noticed a sardonic little smile on his face. "Will do." Uzumaki whispered.

"Alright!" Hatake's voice interrupted Sasuke's musings. "We are starting tomorrow! Come to the training ground at six AM!"

If Sasuke were a lesser person, he would have groaned with despair.

Curse Hatake and his penchant for ungodly hours.

* * *

><p>"Where did you get that blade?" Aya looked at her dark-haired teammate. Currently, they were painting the fence, while Sakura was weeding the garden. She had pouted that it wasn't fair; however Hatake was firm in his decision, so she couldn't do anything but sulk and complain.<p>

"Inheritance." Aya replied shortly. It was true, in a sense, but she would be damned if she revealed the whole story just how she got her blade. Delnonychus was … special like that. The Uchiha blinked. "Who taught you to wield it?" Sasuke persisted. Aya sighed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She replied as she wetted her paint brush into white paint. "But what I can tell you – it's the last of its kind." _'And only,'_ she added in her thoughts. Both Delnonychus and Alligator were one of a kind weapons, for one of their kind wielders. "Hn." Sasuke grunted. "I never did see you wielding it in spars."

It was Aya's turn to snort. "It was sparring. This weapon _kills_." She looked at the fascinated Uchiha. So very obsessed with revenge… She sighed. She was reminded of Huya, Rick's son. Which reminded her…did he ever get a revenge on her son? She stiffened. He'd better not, else she would find her way back and quarter him…_painfully._

"Why does that Hyuuga girl calls you Roxy?" Another question. Aya sighed. "You are just full of questions today, aren't you?" She grumbled as she glared at him half-heartedly. "It's a nickname. Besides, I am kind of unwanted in Konoha, so it's easier for her to call me by nickname than my name. Why all the questions?"

Dark head ducked. "I am curious. I…" He struggled to form the sentence. "You were always a dobe in the class. I had thought you would be a dead weight on the team, too, but then you brought out that huge…weapon, and almost cornered Hatake. You are… good." He admitted with a small grimace on his face. "And I want to be good like you too."

She sighed. "I trained." She replied back.

"Then train me too."

Blue eyes narrowed. "Why should I? And before you say it's for revenge, don't."

The boy's already opened mouth snapped shut. He glared at her. "Why not?" He growled back at her.

She looked back at him. "Tell me this. When you achieve revenge, what will you have to live for?"

"I would have avenged my clan!"

She nodded. "That's right, but how would you live from then on?" She asked him again. "When you would wake up, what would you do, when you wouldn't have to need to train to defeat him? When you would go on a mission, you wouldn't have to survive in order to be alive to defeat him? When you will be coming home, why would you come, if nobody would wait for you?"

Sasuke Uchiha was stumped. "I – I don't know." He admitted his voice quiet.

Aya smiled. "Do you know the way of a Jackal?" Dark eyes blinked with confusion as the boy looked at her. "Jackal? Isn't that some kind of a dog?" The boy asked, perplexed. The platinum-haired girl nodded. "Yes, but it's also the creed of special assassins. Do you want to hear it?"

"Of course!" Sasuke immediately answered, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"_Forget about me… and find your own way to live." _She repeated the words she in another life had said to her son, a bittersweet smile on her face.

Dark eyebrows scrunched. "What kind of creed is this?" The last Uchiha snapped. "Why should I forget about the – "He was interrupted by the customer calling them for a lunch.

"The weight of the dead can drown the living if they aren't careful. If you live your life, live it your own way. No matter what." She spoke out as she rose, placing the painting brush in to the bucked with paint.

"And do you live it like that?" He asked snappishly, glaring.

She smiled mirthlessly. "Always."

* * *

><p>That day, one Uchiha Sasuke didn't go to the family altar as soon as he came home. Instead of that, he walked through the<p>

Uchiha sector of the Konoha, the quiet ghost town. Nobody lived here anymore.

"_When you will be coming home, why would you come, if nobody would wait for you?" _Nobody waited for him.

"When you would wake up, what would you do, when you wouldn't have to need to train to defeat him?" he tried to imagine that kind of life. Finally defeating… him… and then returning. To an empty place. Waking up, without a goal, aimless. Training to be stronger, being stronger, only to have nobody to be with him. Killing down the opponents, one after another and waiting… for what?

"_Live, little brother. Hate me. Despise me. And when you grow strong enough, come after me." _He shook his head as he heard the echo of his voice.

"_When you achieve revenge, what will you have to live for?" _

He blinked. He lived to be strong enough to get revenge, but then, _what?_

"Forget about me… and find your own way to live."

_Live… Forget… Your own way…._

Irritated, Sasuke messed up his hair. All of this was so, so, so damn confusing. Dammit, that damn Uzumaki made his head into mess!

"_AAARGH!" _A furious howl, full of confusion, pain and anger echoed through the empty streets, startling some black crows away from their perches.

* * *

><p><em>Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father<em>  
><em>Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers<em>

The Wave mission was just the kind of shitty luck that was signature for the Team Seven. Okay, they had to catch Tora more times they could count, Sakura concurred - in fact, they held some kind of a record in that regard, they did the fieldwork, painting the fences, working in the apothecary and the training - she shuddered at that - her two teammates were just _beasts _in that regard, much to Hatake's delight and her dismay. She had been, nilly-willy, dragged out at unholy hours just to train, courtesy of the duo - privately, Sakura admitted that if it weren't for Sasuke, she would snooze in her bed for those three or four hours their teacher was merrymaking elsewhere - yes, they _did _wizened up on his _'late'_ trick, but Sasuke just _had _to be insistent in his sparring with Uzumaki, and as his true love she just couldn't let the blond to hurt him - okay, the last one was pure bullshit. She couldn't do anything if Uzumaki decided to have an Uchiha _sashimi _out of his teammate, but at least she could be there as a witness if something_… untoward_ happened. So even if Sasuke was a rightful bear at the mornings, he still unfailingly came to their training ground and began his daily slugging match with Uzumaki. Lately, she noticed, the Last Uchiha was frustrated – meaning, he wasn't so broody as usual, but he was broody-_broody,_ and it had to do with Uzumaki, because Sasuke asked him many questions, and they didn't revolve around the theme on how to get stronger. So, Sakura endured the ungodly hours, getting addicted to coffee, more torn dresses that she cared to count and being beaten down by her teammates while trying to dish out as good as she received, even going as far as to tie her hair into braid as to not let her hair to be a weakness anymore - as much as she liked to have a long mane, enough was enough. She desperately tried to catch up to them, because otherwise she would have been left behind.

Since their meeting of Zabuza, the whole mission was a clusterfuck waiting to happen, and now, being on the bridge, Sakura had a sick feeling in her stomach when the clusterfuck in question was about to happen.

And this was…. _Right. Now._

She flinched as she deflected the kunais from Tazuna, and then watched how Sasuke engaged the fake Hunter-nin in a fierce taijutsu match. All that training with Uzumaki had done something good to him, because they were about even, but then the Hunter-nin used the ice dome and she was just about to scream with desperation –

When she heard the crunch of the ice under the heavy iron blade and hunter-nin's pained scream.

_He _was here.

Uzumaki was here. Wielding that huge blade she still didn't know the name of, but the thing was huge, heavy and terrifyingly sharp, as he swung it into the dome, partially crashing it and apparently wounding the person inside if the spurt of blood was of any indication.

Sakura fought not to retch.

She still remembered their first encounter - how the two Demon brothers shredded Hatake via the chain and the terrifying moment when Sasuke trapped the two Mist missing-nins and how her heart almost stopped when they advanced toward them, only for Uzumaki to get out that monstrous blade and…

… slaughter them.

There was no other word for what he had done.

Strong. Fast. _Utterly merciless_. The heavy blade cut through the stomach of one, neatly bisecting him, and then diagonally through the torso of another, crushing the ribs and mauling the inner organs into a bloody mess.

Even Hatake was pale when he found out just _what_ kind of damage his errant student's weapon could do in the right hands.

And the worst thing was, Uzumaki was utterly unaffected by what he had done. As if… as if he had done that hundreds, thousands of time before.

Sakura had to vomit in the nearest bush, and even now, she fought the urge to just expel the food she had eaten for breakfast.

Even if it was kind of reassuring that she had that-that monster on her team, she wished just for a little less bloodshed, but she had a sinking feeling that from there on, there would only be more of it.

Both Uzumaki and Sasuke managed to incapacitate the fake hunter-nin, even if Sasuke had come out for the worse, but Uzumaki's timely intervention caused the fake hunter-nin to grossly miss his hits with the senbon needles, so Sasuke would only have a paralyzed right hand and both legs for some time before he would be able to move under his own will and without pain once again.

While she tended to him, Uzumaki had ran to help the Hatake to deal with his own opponent, which was welcomed as the Jounin still didn't completely recover from the chakra exhaustion from their first encounter with Zabuza.

She heard Zabuza's delighted laughter and closed her eyes.

The end was fairly anticlimactic - Uzumaki managed to critically wound Zabuza, but then,Gato and his thugs appeared. She thought they were done for, except for the crazy duo - both Zabuza and Uzumaki had done that insane charge at the thug army and engaging them into bloody slaughter.

_Shinigami._ That was who Uzumaki was. The true God of Death. Even Zabuza had faltered when he saw the damage damage that orange-clad kid was dealing with his weird weapon, and without any jutsu to boot - only pure speed and strength.

"Oh Kami." Tazuma's horrified whisper echoed behind her. Listlessly, she nodded, watching the massacre even if she didn't want to. She had to. She just… _had_ to.

It was some kind of a terrible beauty to watch them to kill the swine that kept the Nami in the check for so long – but so very brutal…

She swallowed. Not for the last time, she doubted that she had decided right when she chose to be a kunoichi.

* * *

><p><em>Leave all your love and your longing behind<em>  
><em>You can't carry it with you if you want to survive<em>

Never ever would he fear his brother. Sasuke closed his eyes, the scenes from the Nami massacre dancing behind his eyelids. Uzumaki was a monster. What was he doing in their team? Even Itachi wasn't so cruel as to kill his relatives with the biggest, heaviest and weirdest excuse of a blade imaginable. In comparison with Uzumaki, Itachi was a precision given form, a fine scalpel to the butcher's knife that was Uzumaki's chosen way of ending his opponents.

_If that was revenge…if that were revenge…_

Uzumaki's eyes were an unnerving shade of gold, like predator's eyes, sharp and deadly. He had whirled through the battlefield gracefully, like orange snowflake in hurricane of steel, his blade red and slick with blood.

That blade. So very elegant, and when Sasuke once tried to lift it, he was surprised he could only barely manage to get it off the ground… by an inch. When he asked how much the damned thing weighed, he nearly got a heart attack.

88 pounds. Still, Uzumaki wielded the monstrosity with an ease as if it were a kunai instead of metallic behemoth of sharpness, angles and curves.

Clenching his jaw he swore to match Uzumaki, come hell or high water.

Even if he would have liked to see Itachi cleaved by that monstrous blade, he could at least respect that his brother had that little shred of mercy for his opponents his own teammate apparently didn't have for his enemies.

* * *

><p><em>The dog days are over<br>The dog days are done_

Them being deployed as a safeguard to Yukie Kazehana was more or less a series of coincidences. Mainly because they were in the wrong place at the wrong moment. After they had come back to Konoha, they went back to their routine – Waking up early, meeting for training (Aya didn't use her homogenous blade, much to Sasuke's ire and Sakura's relief), doing the missions, and then parting their own ways to do whatever they wanted for the rest of the day. Their luck held - all of the missions they got after that disaster in Nami were pretty low-risk ones, but of course, all good things had to come to an end, and one cloudy day, they were drafted to chase after the pretty woman who was riding through the streets in an attempt to escape her guardian.

He knew he should have stayed in bed that day, Kakashi lamented in his head. Or at least keep the brats far, far away from the actress, but what was done was done, and the wish of client was a shinobi's command, and here they were, up to their gills in the civilian unrest and danger. Sure, he loved his shot of adrenaline as much as next ANBU - yes, you had to be a mite bit crazy in the head to join the bastards – but he didn't appreciate being in danger alongside his cute little students, no matter if one of his cute little students was a veritable monster with that blade of his - for that matter, just where was he hiding that monstrosity again? He hadn't seen the blade since that wreck of a mission and he was certain Uzumaki had to train somehow to wield that monster of his as good as he had shown to them in Nami.

But for now, they had to rescue the orange-wearing idiot, retrieve the princess and solve the mess the said princess inadvertently pushed them into with her refusal to take up the reigns of the land.

He sighed, the breath condensing in a small white cloud in the cold air. When they got home, he would find the first hot spring and stay in until he would be wrinkly like an old codger. He really, really hated cold. Actually, he loathed it with passion.

Now, where was this secret entrance again?

* * *

><p><em>Can you hear the horses?<br>'Cause here they come_

She never believed in saviors. Because there was none to save her father from death. She never believed anything would change after she had fled from her country - she has burrowed her memories and feelings as deep as she could, under the thick armor of ice, letting the out only when she was acting, or on those deepest, darkest nights, when nobody was witness to her inner demons appearing in her thoughts.

"You can do nothing. You are just a little brat." She had spat out to her so-called protector when she was hunched in the cell, glaring at him attempts to get out of the manacles.

"I told you….. Shut. Up." The brat growled back at her, his slender frame trembling with effort as the electricity sparkled and hissed through his muscles, hindering him to properly reach up and undo the manacles. _"Ss-hit."_ He bit out, as once again, his muscles failed him. The air stank with the scent of charred flesh as the electricity fried him again and again, when he attempted to get himself out of those thrice-damned manacles. Ice blue eyes narrowed. "Okay, that's it." He growled out and Koyuki wanted to say _'It's useless, why are you trying so hard, you couldn't –' _- but the youth tried again, his arm muscles bunching up and then he curled upward, twining his legs around the chain he was hanging off in a surprising show of flexibility, making the actress' jaw drop with astonishment.

"_H - How?" _She stuttered, her eyes wide with amazement. Those unique ice-blue-golden eyes looked at her, making her breath catch in her throat. "Because I can." He told her shortly, nimble fingers doing something - she heard the crack and she winced, staring horrified as he dislocated his own wrists before somehow managing to get them out of the manacles, despite of electricity crackling through his body.

Some cracks later, his wrists were good again and he jumped on the floor. Stretching himself, he tilted his head at her. "Ready to go, Princess?" He asked, a small smirk on his thin lips, making her blush with shame, attraction and maybe just a tiny bit of hope.

"B - But you are still behind bars!" She managed to get out, looking at him with wide eyes before quickly averting them. _'Get a hold of yourself, girl! He is just a teenager!'_ She berated herself.

"Not for long." The boy's voice prompted her to turn around and her eyes widened at the blade he held in his hand. The cold metal gleamed in the dull light of the cell as the boy smirked.

It was like a song, the sound of the bars breaking under the onslaught of that mass of steel, something she would have expected to see in a movie, but not in real life – but weren't the last days the proof that something like this existed?

And somehow, someway, she had dared to… hope.

"Let's go." The boy said to her as he reached out his hand, and she accepted it, the warmth of it seeping in her cold finger through her gloves.

The last stand off against her Uncle - no, Doto - almost broke her - almost, but Uzumaki was her pillar of strength, and that massive blade of his made a short work of the ice dragons, making her gape at his strength. Even she, a civilian, knew that going against the jutsu of caliber Doto had deployed was a pure suicide, but Uzumaki seemed determined to disprove her misgivings and doubts in the lethal dance of ice and steel.

The generator whirred and whined as it awakened to life, purring it's warmth across the land as Doto's last shriek of terror was cut off by that shiny blade – she should have felt bad for her Uncle to finish like that, but looking at the generator's rainbow-hued plates gleaming in the sun, she felt only relief.

And then, the spring has come.

Yukie Fujikaze, now Koyuki Kazahana, the Daimyo of the Yukigakure, smiled.

* * *

><p><em>And I never wanted anything from you<br>Except everything you had and what was left after that too, oh_

Life was always bound to be interesting, because even the most mundane missions turned into something greater by one virtue or another. Sakura was almost resigned to these happenstances now, and it really didn't help Sasuke was… interested in those missions. What didn't help was his interest in that _dobe_! She twitched as she glared at the imaginary form of her orange-clad teammate.

If only he wasn't in their squad, then true love would surely prevail!

(She decided to disregard the times she was almost a dead meat and was rescued by the said _dobe_ as a figment of her imagination. Yeah, that was it. There was no way that _dobe_ would be stronger than she or Sasuke-kun!)

Uchiha Sasuke was an avenger. No ifs, ands or buts about it. However, while he was an avenger, he was also confronted with that conundrum of his team mate, which left him rather irked at the best, and downright pissed off at the worst days.

Uzumaki Aya was a…_dobe._ Yet, he had done a lion's share of work in their missions - aside him and Hatake, that is. The pink addition was just that, an addition, and useful maybe once in a blue moon, if ever. Looking at his skills, they were confusing amalgam of nothing impressive and downright scary– no Bunshin to speak of, his weapon accuracy was terrifying, and his handling of that blade he had somewhere on his body - Sasuke still wondered just _where _– was horrifying. Horrifyingly devastating, that is. Aside from knowing the normal shinobi tricks, Uzumaki had nothing on him. No additional jutsus and Kami help them if he were ever caught in an illusion - but luckily the bastard always stabbed himself in those cases and then that unnatural healing factor of his. Sasuke shook his head. Honestly, if all the factors added up, he should have been heads and shoulders above Uzumaki regarding the abilities, especially with him awakening his Sharingan, but he had a sinking feeling if he ever gone against Uzumaki for real, he would be the one to lose.

And why did Uzumaki call himself a Jackal, anyway?

(That creed. Or better, another one of them.

"_Assasins must have two things. A means to kill… and a reason. If you only have a method, you are only some rabid dog."_

What the fuck was with Uzumaki and philosophy, anyway? He was an avenger… wasn't he?)

So he resorted to training with him, watching (- not stalking! Uchihas _do not_ stalk!) him interact with Hyuuga heiress, the ramen vendors, occasional shinobi, watching him train - honestly, it was like he was always doing push-ups, chin-ups and similar exercises, but when Sasuke tried them himself, he found out - much to his horror - that it was damned harder to do than Uzumaki made it seem to be. And the sheer number of them! His arms whined at him even if he thought about it.

That cinched it. He had to know more and what better way than invite the dobe to his home?

"Hey…come to dinner tonight?"

* * *

><p><em>Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back<br>Struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that_

Well, this was interesting. She never would have expected the stuck-up duck-head making her an offer for dinner, and voluntarily so, too. This little question caused Kakashi to drop his beloved orange book – Aya wasn't exactly happy she had a pervert for a sensei, but it couldn't be helped – Haruno had made a sound like a wounded dog, and like it or not, she had to admit she was momentarily taken aback with her Uchiha team-mate's offer. It was unlike him, and yet, she didn't have any delusions the boy was doing his out of goodness of his heart - she was too knowledgeable in that kind of dance, but if he thought he would be able to wrangle out her secrets just with one measly meal, he was in a rude surprise.

And now, she was sitting in the kitchen, watching Sasuke retrieve the necessary ingredients for dinner, her fingers drumming idly on her thigh.

"You surprised me with your invitation." She remarked, making the boy pause and turn to her, dark eyes even darker in the dimming light of the evening.

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged. "There's no law that forbids me to invite you to dinner, it's here?" he quipped, making her smirk. "Indeed." She replied. "Still, you didn't answer my question." Blue eyes blinked at him, making him shuffle uncomfortably.

"You don't make sense." He finally spoke out, as he turned away in an effort to hide his face. "You were a dobe of the class, and instead of freezing against the Demon brothers, you practically butchered them. Wave massacre… need I say more?" He asked sarcastically.

She shrugged. "We are shinobi. Killing is kind of in our job description," she snarked back. "But you kill too easily!" He exploded, whirling on her, his eyes blazing red, the tomoes swirling lazily as he fumed at her uncooperative comment. "Why!"

Blue eyes stared at him. "I killed before. " Her reply was frank and cold. "People don't need to be shinobi to kill, Uchiha. A civilian could just as easily poison you with slipping you poisoned tomatoes." She suppressed a flash of amusement at his panicky glance at his favorite fruit. "Not everyone has the easy kind of life, like Miss Pink. I am an orphan too, and on the streets it's dog eats dog, that is the streets law." She tilted her head. "So I kinda had to kill if I wanted to survive."

The red bled into black again. "But your weapon is _not _normal." Sasuke ground out. "You say you had to survive on the street, but someone had to teach you how to work with that oversized hunk of a blade." She stared at him long and hard, finally forcing him to lower his gaze.

"Delnochynus is one of a kind. Nobody uses it but me. And as for my fighting style… I made it myself. I don't care if you believe me or not, but that's the truth." Her tone was flat, prompting a small wince from the dark-haired boy.

"But how can you be so strong?" He asked helplessly. She turned her head away. "I worked for it."

"But - !" Sasuke tried to protest, but she lifted her hand, stopping him as she looked in his eyes with a stern gaze. "Sasuke, I can't tell you how I became strong because everyone has different way of attaining strength. An expert archer is strong in a different way than an expert swordsman. Just because the two use different weapons that doesn't mean one has to be weaker than other, because a battle between them can go either way. Sometimes there is a sheer dumb luck. Sometimes there is exploiting the enemy's weaknesses before they can exploit yours. And sometimes... the opponent is just overwhelmed, because he is too slow, or can't defend from your attacks. No battle is the same. However, I am strong, because I can't afford to lose." She rose, lowering her hand. "Now, can I help you prepare the dinner?

Neither of them noticed a pair of red and black eyes glaring at them from the shadows.

* * *

><p>"Interesting choice of words, Aya-kun."<p>

She stiffened as she heard the familiar voice. "Interesting choice of meeting place, Itachi-chan." She shot back dryly as her hand crept toward her pouch for a kunai.

There was a small sound, no louder than a whisper, and there he was. Leaning against the tree, just three steps away from her, his head cocked slightly as he watched her with those red and black eyes, the curved blades in his iris spinning lazily as he crossed his hands on the chest nonchalantly.

He was taller, Aya noted, and his hair was longer. His hitai-ate's plate was sliced through, marking him as a missing-nin, and his face was weary, the lines adding on the illusion of him being older than he really was. A small breeze swayed his black cloak, printed with red and white clouds.

So different from his ANBU persona…

"I heard you are kind of infamous now," His low, smooth voice expressed nothing.

"Same to you." She said neutrally as she forced herself to look away from him, attempting to walk past him, but his arm shot out and caught her by grabbing the handful of fabric in the front of her jacket. "What exactly are you trying to do with him?"

She snorted. "If you are worried about me kissing him, then don't." She replied glibly, making his eyes narrow with frustration. "Besides, if you really want to lecture somebody, he already had his first kiss with one Inuzuka Kiba."She enjoyed the involuntary widening of those red and black eyes.

…"_What!"_ He squawked. "But - !"

"You wanted me to kiss him?" She asked helpfully, a small smirk tickling the corners of her mouth, just twitching to be revealed. "I can do that, you know."

"You won't be kissing anybody!" He fumed, growling as he lowered his head.

"Anybody but you?" Her innocent answer caught him flat-footed, and she watched, fascinated as a small flush crawled over his cheeks.

"Damn it." He growled. "Stop with your games, Uzumaki!" He practically breathed into her face, looking like some kind of wrathful bird of prey. She smirked right now. Oh, the wonders of baiting her favorite victim. "You - You confused me and I was a butt of ANBU's jokes for days afterwards! You - !"

" – Stole your first kiss, yeah." She interrupted him. "Want me to steal your second!"

She could almost feel his frustration as he barely held himself back not to outright growl at her. "I want you to stop stealing them!" He blurted out before he could stop himself, and immediately after it, his eyes widened and he blushed even more.

"Hm. You know, it's impressive you remembered it long enough to come to tell me to stop… stealing your kisses, what, seven years later? Itachi-chan," she shook her head mock-mournfully "I am honored, but – "

She couldn't continue as a pair of warm lips descended on hers, pressing together clumsily, before he drew back, his eyes wide and vulnerable in the moonlight, making him look like confused, lost little boy.

She couldn't help but smile as she brushed a loch of his hair behind his left ear. She felt his body tremble against hers, unable to decide whether to fight or flee.

"It's alright." She whispered, smiling at him a small, gentle smile. "I'll keep him safe." She tried to pry herself out of his hold, but instead, he clutched her to himself, as if he were afraid she was a figment of imagination that would vanish as soon as he released her. She felt him burrow his head into her neck, inhaling the scent of her skin and making her shiver as he breathed out those four words.

"Aya-kun…. Thank you."

* * *

><p><em>The dog days are over<br>The dog days are done_

Her eyebrow twitched. Were they even serious? If this little exam was everything that took for them to become Genin, she feared for the next generations of shinobi. True, this small excursion in the Forest of Death didn't get her in a better mood because a certain _hebi-teme_ messed with her chakra pathways and on the top of it Sasuke had gotten some kind of a hickey and dared to paw her for her weapon - she still owed him a massive beating for that, but Hatake not even having a courtesy to listen to her about her having a seal was a drop short of spilling over. It didn't help that he tried to foist her onto that perverted Jounin.

Her chakra control was shot, and she really didn't want to get rid of the jacket even if it was waterlogged from her numerous trips under the surface of the hot spring. No perverts for her, thank you very much!

She twitched as she heard a perverted giggling nearby.

'_Concentrate…. Just concentrate, don't think about that ero-baka over there…'_ She thought to herself, grinding her teeth together.

"Hee-hee..."

The perverted giggle repeated, and her patience snapped.

She marched out of the water, growling as her eyes changed from their ice blue color into almost completely golden one.

"You really want to be short of your balls, don't you?" She growled at the bent pervert who froze at the feeling of kunai near his privates.

Ebisu paled a stark white when his temporary pupil threatened the white-haired man.

"J-Jiraiya-sama!"

That wasn't really his day, Jiraiya lamented sourly. First the troublesome reports to the Hokage, and then, when he thought he could relax himself with observing the beautiful ladies at the onsen - _cough_, peeping, _cough_ – he had been caught by that brat in the orange monstrosity holding a sharp kunai to his privates. He had been lucky that Tsunade wasn't here, because he had a nagging feeling the brat would have become Tsunade-hime's new favorite person.

"So, you are Jiraiya." The brat commented, still holding the kunai terrifyingly close to his near and dear. Jiraiya swallowed. "Y - Yes." He grunted out. Those golden eyes narrowed as the brat looked at his face. "Well. Heard you are a seal master. So if you would kindly help me with a small matter, it would be much obliged."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. Pervert he was, but he was no fool. "And why would I do that?" He asked coldly.

A quirked-up platinum-colored eyebrow immediately made him feel foolish for asking the question. "Because I am a Konoha shinobi, holding one furball in my belly and because Mr. Snake-pants used something he called _Gogyo Fuuin _on me. Or, if you still don't agree, because you owe me for not giving you to the lovely ladies over there." He nodded toward the onsen. "Take your pick and stop stalling."

Jiraiya's eyes involuntarily looked at the whiskered cheeks. "Oh, so you are that Uzumaki brat." He commented. The golden eyes stared at him coldly and he sighed. "Alright, just take the pointy end away from my precious!"

Five minutes later, his eyes widened as he looked at the brat's stomach. He involuntarily gawped.

"Well?" The brat prompted him, but Jiraiya stared at his belly as if he were in a trance.

"So… perfect…" He mumbled, his dark eyes glazing over. "So… smooth, so pretty, so cute!" He almost squealed as he held back from drooling.

Aya didn't want to know, but…"What?" She growled out, not exactly happy she had to bare herself to a stranger.

"You have the sexiest little belly I've seen on a woman!" Jiraiya blurted out, before he froze.

"Wait. You… are _a girl?_"

The _'girl'_ in question twitched.

A pained howl echoed through the air as she kicked the pervert in his sacred place.

"W-Wait!" He called after her when she was striding away, and he was shuffling behind her pathetically. This… girl had a terrifyingly strong kick, and that was without any added chakra. He shuddered to think what the kick would be like if she were Tsunade-hime's apprentice.

"I don't have time for starring as a material for your perverted fantasies!" She growled back. "Leave me alone already!"

"I am the only one who can get rid of that seal, besides Sandaime!" He called out, making her stiffen and stop.

Well… She was out of luck.

Aya turned around and marched back to the trembling Sannin. "You…will get rid of that seal and then leave me alone. I will get rid of the seal with your help and then leave you alone. Take it or leave it." She snapped, glaring at the idiotic man crankily. Oh how would she love to use her blade on him, but…no.

Jiraiya twitched. "Is that how you talk with your godfather, girl?" He snapped back, growling. "Have some respect!"

She smiled. It was, Jiraiya reminisced later on with a shiver of terror, a smile even Shinigami would be proud of.

"You really want to have your welcome home beating right now?" She asked, tilting her head slightly, making him meep and furiously decline the offer.

Aya smiled.

All was well with her world.

* * *

><p><em>Can you hear the horses?<br>'Cause here they come_

Sasuke Uchiha , the Last Uchiha, was not a happy camper. Or rather, he was one very unhappy, exhausted and bewildered camper right now. The Forest Episode was something he would rather forget, but he couldn't. Not because the cursed seal was whispering sinful promises in his mind, but because he had inadvertently discovered something he shouldn't have known in the first place.

Uzumaki… was surprisingly slender for a boy.

Uzumaki… had two bulges on his/her chest.

Uzumaki had almost brained him for searching his/her body for his/her blade.

Uzumaki had caused the hissing voice in his mind to meep fearfully and retreat in the lowest, darkest corner of his sub consciousness and shiver with fear here ever since.

He had exhausted himself to the bone with the workout, and yet, every time he closed his eyes, he felt under his palm those firm mounds under the garish orange fabric, that slender waist between his thighs, how he/she - yes, _she_ looked, with her platinum tresses splayed on the dirty ground, her eyes golden with only the barest flecks of blue in the irises. Her slender eyebrows, sharp cheekbones, and the tanned skin with the whiskers – He gulped.

Dammit, he didn't need that right now!

But still, he - she - he, no _**She!**_ _She_ was a girl and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder just why didn't he notice it before.

Maybe it was her freakish strength to boot. And that horrible orange jumpsuit of hers. He grimaced. And because she just didn't behave like girl. Well, girly-girl, at any rate.

And he had invited her to his house! What had he been thinking? The pale skin of his cheeks blushed pink as he fought with his mortification.

When he had been… left, for all intents and purposes, he swore that no girl would come into the house unless she was his fiancé or wife.

And now, when he knew that Uzumaki Aya was a _she_…

He swallowed, feeling heat flashing through his body.

Did that mean she would be his… wife?

He tried to imagine Uzumaki as a girl.

Tall. Slender. Strong. Capable. Taking no bullshit. And… dangerous. And… _sexy._

Sure, she would have been an ideal Uchiha-wife material, but…

What the heck was with him today!?

Her smooth, pink lips.

Sasuke Uchiha was officially redder than tomato.

Ah, the joys of youth.

* * *

><p><em>Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father<br>Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers_

Uzumaki Aya vs Hyuuga Ne – _SCHRRRK – CRK_

-_**vs Abumi Zaku**_

WHAT!?

Surely this was wrong? The crowd began to murmur with confusion.

There was a silent conference in the Hokage lounge before an ANBU signaled to the proctor the Hokage's decision.

"Ahem. Because the name generator had failed, the - _cough, cough_ – all three competitors would have to –

"No!"

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"

"What the fuck?"

"SILENCE - _cough!_" The Hokage himself decided as such, and so it stands! Gekko Hayato commanded sharply, but the stands were still full of the murmurs and deliberations over that sudden switch of happenings.

Hyuuga Neji calmly jumped down from the stands, followed by Abumi Zaku. But there was no sight of the third contestant.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Something was afoot…

… because Uzumaki Aya wouldn't have missed the exams…

… would she?

"If Uzumaki Aya doesn't come in five minutes, he will be disqualified from the tournament." Hayato announced, frowning as he chewed the end of his senbon.

The crowd settled to wait.

Four minutes. Tree… Two… One.

"As Uzumaki Aya is not here, he is thereby disqualified from the tournament." The proctor announced grimly, making Sasuke pinch the bridge of his nose.

That troublesome woman…

The match was no contest - Hyuuga Neji had proved the mastery of Jyuuken on Zaku despite of the latter having a doubtful advantage in the form of manipulating those wind tunnels of his.

His pale eyes were alight with victory and scorn.

However, the question niggled.

Just where was Uzumaki Aya?

* * *

><p><em>Uchiha Sasuke vs Sabaku no Gaara<em>

That match had been from the beginning the very definition of a wreck waiting to happen. Anyone with half an eye and brain in working order could see the redhead was unstable, and with his control over the sand, the Last Uchiha would have to have a very strong ace in the sleeve to even think about leveling, if not winning the match.

True, he had been fast, just like that Lee kid, but the ace in the sleeve proved to be the stupidest move in the given moment.

_The Chidori. _

Yes, it had wounded the Suna shinobi, however, it also caused him to submit to the madness.

And that madness was the beginning of an end.

The pandemonium that exploded just a scant moment later devolved into the mass panic on the civilian side and the bloodshed on the shinobi one.

Gaara was grabbed by his siblings and dragged away, while the Konoha Shinobi was preoccupied with deflecting the waves of attackers and protecting the civilians.

Crap, shit, fuck, bugger… what wouldn't Sasuke given now for that troublesome dobe at his side…

There was a chorus of screams, curses and howls of utter agony –

Sasuke perked up.

Those voices, even as dreadful as they were, sounded like the sweetest music to his ears now.

Because they heralded the coming of one Uzumaki Aya.

* * *

><p>She was <em>late!<em> Cursing colorfully under her breath, she sped through the tree tops, and even then, she knew that there was no way in hell she would come in time for her match.

Bloody frog pervert and his research…

She growled to herself, inwardly swearing to castrate the moronic toad sage.

But… Golden eyes narrowed. Something was wrong.

Scrap that, _everything _was wrong, what with that nutcase releasing his giant sand plushy outside, and that was apparently a sign for a slaughter.

Well, fine.

She felt a bloodthirsty smile creep on her face.

She hadn't enjoyed a good blood soak in a long, long while.

* * *

><p>The Konoha Eleven were in a pickle. They were thrown, smack-dab, into the middle of fighting, and it didn't matter they were Genin and borderline Chuunin when they had to engage Chuunin-level opponents if they wanted to live.<p>

Ino trembled with effort. The mind transfer jutsu was useful, however, it also taxed her. Shikamaru was no better. Sakura was barely fending off her opponent, while Tenten was busy with her opponents, along with Neji.

And then, they heard it.

The screams of utter fury and despair.

Ino glanced to Sasuke and was surprised by sheer relief on his face.

'_What?'_ "Why are you smiling!" She screamed over the pandemonium, making Sasuke blink at her. "We're in the middle of fucking slaughter and you are _smiling!?_" She deflected the incoming kunai, huffing with the effort.

"Because our reinforcements are coming!" Sasuke hollered back, grinning, and further stupefying her.

"Aya is coming!"

She heard Hinata squeal - wait , squeal? What was the world coming to?

"Who!?" She hollered back, avoiding the shuriken and preparing for the next possession.

"_UZUMAKI!"_ Sakura screamed, the sheer relief in her voice making Ino blink.

And then, he was here.

"Nice to meet you, brats."

That voice was unmistakable.

But the form wasn't.

Platinum hair - check. Sheer amounts of orange - not check. Huge, murderous blade, red with the blood of the opponents - _so_ not check. And boobs - wait, since when did Uzumaki have _boobs _of all things!?

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?"

* * *

><p>It was understandable they were freaked out, Aya mused absentmindedly as she slashed her next opponent to half and deflected five kunais in the same movement.<p>

"Uzumaki Aya or Roxy at your service!" She called back mockingly; her golden eyes alit with glee.

"_YOU ARE NOT UZUMAKI! HE IS A DOBE, AND YOU HAVE BOOBS!"_ Ino's screech temporarily stopped the fights all around with the sheer indignation it contained, making Ino blush at the attention she received.

"Not my concern! Start killing or be a dead meat! "Aya lunged into the next throng of opponents, the black dervish of death, making Neji blanch at the sheer brutality of her dealing with her opponents.

He had been damned lucky she was late to her match.

* * *

><p>"<em>H – Holy shit." <em>One of the Konoha Jounins muttered as he looked at the blood-filled bedlam one Uzumaki was making on the ground. "What the _hell _did you teach him, Hatake?"

Gray eye was wide. "Um… would you believe me I didn't have anything to do with this?"

* * *

><p><em>Leave all your love and you're longing behind<br>You can't carry it with you if you want to survive_

The aftermath of the invasion was depressing. Konoha had lost their Sandaime Hokage, over 45 percent of forces and let's not mention the sheer amount of damage caused to the village or nearby grounds.

However bad the things were, there were some bright sides. Konoha and Suna alliance was stronger than ever, Orochimaru was crippled by the loss of his hands and both Nami no Kuni along with Yuki no Kuni and some other smaller villages offered to help to restore Konoha back to their previous state.

On the shinobi side it was... awkward. To find out that Uzumaki brat wasn't a he, but definitely a _she,_ and that one very hot and lethal _she, _rattled the military personnel rather badly, especially when there was a conundrum whether Uzumaki should be allowed to advance in rank or not.

The fact was, if it weren't for her coming in so late, the losses would be greater, however if she hadn't missed her match the losses would be even smaller. Not to mention the legend that was beginning to twine around her doings - the sheer, massive blade of hers, the brutality and physically impossible speed - even Gai himself wasn't certain whether he would have won if he went against her. So, for the first time in her life, one Uzumaki Aya was left alone or be admired from a far.

Of course, that didn't hold for Tenten - the weapons mistress was insistent to get a look of a blade and mayhap even wield it; however Aya wasn't willing to part with it, no matter how much Tenten was begging her. Tenten had gone even so far as to challenge Aya to the kunai and shuriken throwing contest, and to her great dismay, the panda-haired girl had lost.

When Aya was asked, she just laughed and said there was no comparison between Tenten and a Jackal, whatever that meant.

* * *

><p>After successfully retrieving the Godaime Hokage, one Senju Tsunade, the bad news hit the proverbial fan.<p>

Uchiha Sasuke had defected to Orochimaru.

Aya closed her eyes. She was tired. So very tired.

That last showdown in the Valley of the End - how aptly named - has brought her closer to death she had ever been before, with the exception of her former life.

She had to be brought back, her heart shredded by _Chidori _and her blade cracked in half.

Sasuke…

She grimaced at the memory of the beast he had managed to change himself via that accursed seal.

And what he told her…

"Do you know what is needed for obtaining the Mangenkyo Sharingan? To kill the best friend. How very convenient that you are my best friend, huh?"

Slender platinum eyebrows furrowed as the memories danced behind her eyelids.

How they ran against each other.

How she raised the Delnochynus to hurt him.

How she - for a moment – saw Huya in those dark, blood-red eyes.

How she – hesitated –

-and the feeling of electricity flash-crawling through her nerves, making her mouth taste of iron and salt and blood, how her chest bones gave in when that blinding light fried her lungs and heart.

By all that was holy, she shouldn't have been alive right now.

But she promised.

She promised to bring him back.

She promised to take care of him.

She …_ Failed._

Her fist clutched weakly as she grimaced.

So much for a friendship, huh?

* * *

><p>The next three years she trained like possessed. The slender <em>Delnochynus <em>was switched for thicker and even heavier _Alligator,_ her first blade. She had become even faster and stronger, and her nickname, _'Shinigami Roxy',_ had been written in the Bingo Book under the S-class category.

But she didn't care.

They clashed, again. Sakura was behind her, offering him meaningless platitudes and begging the Uchiha to come back and she would give him anything, anything he would ever want - and only Aya heard a derisive huff escape his mouth.

The battle was fierce – Sasuke had obviously improved, and she had to be careful of his eyes.

_Crash -Bang!_

And then, a cold shiver went up her spine, and she dodged just in time.

"You are just as good as they said you would be."

She bit back a groan.

_Itachi._

* * *

><p>Sasuke glared. "What are<em> YOU<em> doing here?" He bit out.

That was _his_ moment, damn it!

The man in a black cloak with red looked at him with his dull red eyes with a stylized shuriken spinning lazily in them.

"Hello,_ otouto_."

Sasuke twitched. "Don't you _'otouto'_ me, bastard! What the fuck gives you right to barge in on us?!" He growled at his brother, who looked faintly taken aback at his outburst.

"Language, _otouto,_" Itachi reprimanded him.

He saw how Itachi tilted his head in Aya's way, and for a moment, he felt as if his blood froze to the deepest sub-zero temperatures, before it painfully heated up again.

'_Oh, no. Not her.'_

_Anything_ but her.

He watched out of the corner of his eye, as Aya sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, as if she were pained by headache.

"You two." She growled out, immediately drawing their attention to her person. "I am outta here. Whatever you two have between the two of you, deal with it._ NOW_."

With last glare from those golden eyes that made them both freeze in their places, she turned around and began to walk away.

"I came to see you." Itachi called after her.

"You saw me." Aya snapped back. "Now_ go away_."

And gee, just why were the cockles of Sasuke's heart suddenly so warm at the sight of his brother's faintly dismayed face?

"She is right." He couldn't help himself, as he smirked at Itachi, making his brother glare at him.

_Oh, whoa_. Itachi was glaring at him.

However, Sasuke couldn't help himself but be smug at successfully heckling his brother.

It was just like those old times.

As soon as he was reminded of them, Sasuke's face darkened back.

"Itachi. You killed them." There was no need to define just who _'them ' _were.

Itachi tilted his head. "Yes."

Sasuke shifted. "Care to tell me why?" He growled at his older brother.

"Care to tell me why did you defect?" Itachi growled back.

"Sure. To kill you."

Itachi stared at him for a moment.

"You are not honest, otouto. Try again."

Sasuke blanched with fury.

"Like_ you_ were?" He bit out, making Itachi's eyes widen minutely. "You had to use _Magenkyo Sharingan_ to scramble my brain and force me to relive the massacre? If you really were testing your capacity, why did you leave me alive? I didn't have the greatest potential in the clan, Father remarked on it often enough. So, _baka-niisan_… _Try again."_

Itachi half-groaned. "You always were stubborn." He sighed.

"Absolutely." Sasuke agreed, red eyes staring into equally colored ones.

He watched his brother sit on the ground suspiciously - but he didn't see anything else than a bone-deep weariness.

The red eyes darkened into black ones.

"Sit down." Itachi entreated him with a sigh. "It's a long story."

Cautiously, Sasuke did so, ready at the moments' notice to slice Itachi's throat.

* * *

><p>Sakura was still out of it, no doubt the courtesy of Itachi's Sharingan. Aya sighed. She just hoped that the two idiots would straighten out whatever they had between them, because a miserable Itachi was a depressed Itachi, and most of her<em> 'hunts'<em> after Sasuke were only so that she reported to him. It was a hard work, giving a slip to her team to do so, but she managed. She wasn't a Jackal for nothing, after all. And even if Sasuke had been the worst kind of friend, she couldn't help but hope that everything would be solved for the best. Even if that silence unnerved her a little… but at least there weren't any explosions, be it human or device-made yet.

To tell the truth, she was becoming sick of running between the two of them, even if one of them didn't know about her other occupation. And while she would love to get the bastard of her teammate back to Konoha, she wasn't so sure she would trust the guy to watch her back, on the mission or otherwise. Sighing again, she grabbed Sakura into a fireman's hold, resolving herself to get back to Konoha as soon as possible.

Those two Uchihas would be the death of her; one way or another.

* * *

><p><em>The dog days are over<br>The dog days are done_

Sakura wasn't a happy camper when she found out that yes, she was back in Konoha, and no, there was no her Sasuke-kun around to profess to her his eternal devotion. She almost attacked Aya for not dragging the Last Uchiha back kicking and screaming - almost being keyword, because she knew only too well that she didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against the Reaper of Konoha.

She gritted her teeth.

And that was what galled her. She never did. Much as it irked her, she was always lagging behind the platinum-haired, now in dark-leather-clothed girl. She had envied Aya – her easy confidence, her body - no, she wasn't one of those soft-bodied heroines, but if Sakura had to compare Aya to anything, it would be a black mamba - fast and deadly, and so very, very exotic. Even with her being a pariah of village for some reason, since the invasion Aya became rather frequent topic among male part of population, but all of them adhered to the unwritten rule for some reason - look, but not touch.

Even with her super strength, even with her being Tsunade's sole apprentice, Sakura knew she just couldn't compete with the whisker-faced woman. And Aya refusing to wear Chuunin vest and instead wearing a tight ensemble of leather pants with leather corset that gave the unfortunate opponent a glimpse of her chest if he was lucky and a sleeveless leather coat was a prime material for their fantasies.

No wonder Sasuke looked at Aya more than he ever did at her.

Sakura neglected to remember that it wasn't always so, that once Aya had been only a dobe in orange-colored monstrosity with an oversized blade-thing and masquerading as male.

Those golden eyes looking at her as if she were a bug, unworthy of being a kunoichi galled her something fierce.

(Even if Uzumaki was right - she had been a pathetic example of a kunoichi, but she had become better in those last three years. Hadn't she?)

Still, three years of training and she had been caught into an illusion like that first time when Hatake was testing them as a team was just…sad.

* * *

><p><em>Can you hear the horses?<em>  
><em>'Cause here they come<em>

Aya twitched. This was getting ridiculous. The two Uchihas were leading her on a merry goose chase every time that particular mission - get the little lost lamb, aka one Uchiha Sasuke, back into Konoha - came up. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling she was participating in some weird game of cat and mouse in which she was unsure of what she was.

They were herding her somewhere what with their constant appearances and disappearances, but where?

And why?

At least that bastard didn't spout out how he was going to kill his brother anymore, but that only made her more uneasy about his intentions. Not to mention - she grudgingly admitted - he was rapidly becoming better.

Sometimes, she hated those eyes of his.

"Aya-kun." A whisper behind her made her clench to her Alligator in an effort not to instinctively skewer the idiot into tiny little pieces.

"You again?" She groused, her these shoulders twitching as she tried to relax.

"Yes."

Flat, simple answer.

She huffed. "I'm going." She announced, her now-golden eyes glaring in nothing in particular, but her senses were attuned to her surroundings.

To him.

Damn it.

It was worse than with_ Iron Hand_ Rick and _Darkness_ Isaac - she could dismiss those two as her opponents, but dismissing one Uchiha Itachi wasn't as easy as she thought it to be. Not because he possessed _Magenkyo Sharingan._ Not because he was an elite shinobi. She didn't fear death. He just…_ unnerved _her with his presence.

He made her heart want to run.

A whisper, and she tensed as warm arms circled around her waist.

"Aya…" That awkward murmur and the back of her neck was feeling hot with his breath hitting the sensitive skin here.

She still clutched Alligator, but she didn't made any other move,

"Itachi, cut it out." She growled at him, and to her great mortification, she felt heat crawling in her cheeks.

She flinched as he nuzzled into her neck, inhaling her scent.

"No." He whispered and she resigned herself to being a temporary teddy bear to an S-class missing-nin for a foreseeable torture.

Damn it, if only Rick would have seen her now… he would have keeled over with laughter.

* * *

><p>One Sasuke Uchiha wasn't any better.<p>

One time, they were interrupted by a thunderstorm in the middle of their match and they had to share a shelter.

All would be good and well, if they weren't wet to the bones and the Uchiha didn't insist on sharing the body heat.

She wasn't a stranger on how that worked, nor did she have any aversions to male bodies – but in this life she was still a virgin, and one Uchiha Sasuke didn't really help the matters with him snuggling against her, thank you very much!

Especially when they were naked and sharing just one blanket while they waited on their clothes to dry out.

She wanted to box in the brat's ears, just because.

But… her lips twitched into a reluctant smile.

Who knew the infamous avenger was such a cuddle monster?

* * *

><p>They glared at each over her head. She was sleeping between them - it was a sheer dumb coincidence that time that they met each other (because neither of the two Uchihas would admit that they stalked – ahem, followed her,) and it had been a long day, what with her being on a mission to the Land of Snow, and with winter approaching, the days were shorter, so she had been forced to settle down for a night. It was just a lucky coincidence they met, and after some tense moments, both Uchiha brothers asked - well, Itachi did, Sasuke just grunted - to camp with her.<p>

This led them to the current sleeping arrangements.

Both of the Uchihas were used to hogging her attention solely for their person, but now, they were forced to share.

And they didn't like it.

"You're hogging her." Sasuke growled at his brother, his dark eyes on the verge of changing into Sharingan.

"As if you don't." Itachi's tart response made him hiss with frustration.

"She's mine." He snapped back as he tried to touch her waist – he still remembered that slender expanse of warm skin under his fingers, like smooth velvet or silk. Instead of that, he touched his brother's hand, and he scowled.

_'Damn that possessive bastard.'_

Moving on, he grasped her shoulder, looking briefly at her, once again feeling a wonder at seeing the contrast between caramel, platinum and dark brown colors. She smelled of warm leather and peaches along with some kind of a bitter tea. The metallic undertones were faint and gave her scent the sharp note, as if giving off a subtle warning that she was dangerous.

However, right now, he couldn't help himself to believe she was dangerous, when she was sleeping between them. He didn't have any illusions that she was helpless, though. Even if she did look temptingly innocent.

He still remembered that one rainy day, when they were forced to huddle together under one blanket, naked as on the day they were born.

He still remembered how her body felt in his embrace - lithe, warm and just like a kitten and how tempted he was to take her for his own.

Temptress.

Deadly temptress, that she had been. That she was

And… he wanted her.

"You wish." Itachi's voice snapped the string of his thoughts. "She kissed me."

Sasuke's body grew rigid.

_'She kissed him? By her own free will?'_

"She laid with me naked." He retorted, watching smugly as Itachi's face turned blank, before those dark eyes swirled into red and dark colors of Magenkyo.

"You _bastard_." Itachi snarled, as he clutched Aya's body tighter to himself, making her moan with discomfort. He swiftly lessened his grip, but the damage was already done. He glared at his brother's smug face, wishing with all of his heart to just _Tsukiyomi_ him and be done with the little shit. Aya was his first, damn it!

"You don't deserve her." He muttered his voice low.

Sasuke flinched, but looked in his eyes nonetheless, his own now red, the three tomoes spinning lazily. "And you do?"

The single question made Itachi bristle with anger.

"More than you."

Both of them glared at each other, red and black into red and black, the tension mounting.

Both of them knew that neither of them would let her go.

She was too precious.

Even if they were awkward, forceful and just plain lumbering through … whatever this was, trying to make her see them - not only see, but_ see_ them, more than missing-nins, more than former comrades or acquaintances, and if they had to led her on a goose-chase for this to work, they would.

"You almost killed her." Itachi spoke out, the nearby fire illuminating his face gently.

"You almost did, too." Sasuke reiterated, his lips thinning

Both of them remembered that farce with Akatsuki – Aya had nearly been killed in extraction, and only Sasuke's intervention saved her from stepping through the death's door. Aya had been taken to Suna to recuperate and even then, it took her two months and a half to get back to on her feet.

Itachi didn't mention that he had visited her.

He didn't need to.

"She doesn't like you … like _that_." He finally spoke out uncomfortably.

Slender black eyebrow arched.

"How do you even know?"

A faint smirk.

"She never kissed you."

Itachi watched, amused, as his otouto scowled.

"Asshole. Maybe she did."

He chuckled.

"She is not that kind of a woman."

A soft glance on the slumbering object of their talk between them,

"No." Regret. "She isn't."

* * *

><p><em>The dog days are over<br>The dog days are done  
>The horses are coming<br>So you better run _

She stood in front of the village, watching Madara advance, the Alligator loosely held in her hand. She sighed.

She was tired. So very, very tired.

All that fighting…

And for what? Peace?

The cold breeze ruffled her hair.

Alone, after all.

A Jackal.

Living alone, fighting alone, and dying alone.

No different than her last life.

Her lips quirked into a reluctant smile.

'_Wonder how are you doing, Nichol.'_ She thought to herself fondly. That rambucintous bunch of brats she had protected … Sheryl, Nichol, and to some extent even Huya. (She _did_ recommend _that _woman for his foster mother).

Hopefully they were living better lives now.

She looked at the Alligator, her eyes slightly misty with nostalgia.

Of what had been…_ could_ have been.

And of what it was.

She had led good life. Interesting life. Now, she was standing here, protecting once again.

What an irony, a Jackal protecting something.

* * *

><p>They watched her, sleeping in the hospital bed.<p>

The last battle was brutal, Madara was definitely no pushover.

Konoha had once again come almost to ruin what with the titanic battle being waged between the four of them.

Yes, that's right.

Madara simply didn't count that the last two living Uchihas would meddle in his plans. And even if they knew that Aya was strong, all of that fighting had done a toll on her, even with her almost inhuman endurance and strength. And with her being alone against Madara, the odds were strongly skewed to Madara's side.

They came. A flash of black and white, red and lilac with blue intermixed in, as they engaged their ancestor to help her stand up and regroup. Sharingan vs Sharingan, the battle of eyes.

In the end, she was the one who had finished the man by using the _Killing Bite._

It was an amazing scene - both of them were exhausted, their eyes leaking blood from overuse of their bloodline to compensate for Madara's sheer speed and strength, and their chakra coils burned from the overuse - they would be paying for if in the days, if not weeks to come, they knew that –and then, there she was, somehow, someway - _fast!_ – and_ Delnonchynus_ glinting in the afternoon sun as it whistled through the air (She had switched the blades in the middle of battle, Madara was forced to duck as the slender, deadly blade whistled with tremendous force dangerously near his head,) with speed when the blade crashed, cut and finally halved the man's body.

On all accounts, she shouldn't have moved - her bones were broken, her guts messed up and she lost much blood in her earlier skirmish with the bastard, but somehow…

She saved them.

They stared at her, dumbfounded - she was drenched in her own and her enemy's blood, heaving, trembling as she held her blade high, it's blade glinting wetly with the crimson substance and her hair and face was speckled with red, now permanently golden eyes fierce and distant, a savage snarl on her lips.

She was like some kind of a fierce force of nature -_ a goddess_, - their minds supplied to them (goddess of war, of carnage of death, truly a Shinigami incarnated), and she was alive.

It only took a moment, before her muscles trembled and she sank on her knees, the dark red blood spiking past her lips in great heaves.

She won, but the price was almost too great.

Tsunade had been spitting oaths and threats when she had been carried in (carefully and reverently, their fallen goddess), and she wanted to order ANBU to kill them, but she had more important things to do as to take care of two S-class missing-nins, Aya was her priority now, and she swore she would deck the _gaki_ when she would be recovered enough - that martyrdom streak of hers was just too troublesome not to (and perhaps congratulate her, before strangling her again for hiding too many secrets),and they were left surrounded by ANBU but refused to move until they know that she was alright.

They were back. Looked at with reverence, disgust and distrust, but aside from being hesitantly tended to (Sakura was still a fangirl, Itachi noted with amusement, and Sasuke with disgust), they stayed in her room, guarding her like priceless treasure like she was.

Her hair lost her luster a little, and her skin was a little paler, the bandages prominent on her body (she practically didn't need a shirt when she was wrapped in the bandages like some kind of a mummy), but her breaths were steady, a faint lullaby of sound intermixing with distant chirp of birds.

They were cowards - never there when she woke up, hiding in some or other corner under illusions when Tsunade tended to her, scolding her like an unruly kid. (The old hag was just glad to have her unofficial daughter back)

It was lucky that not many people were allowed to visit her - Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune were the ones they knew, and then a pair of nurses - Sakura was not on the list, despite of her being Tsunade's apprentice (Tsunade knew of the rift between the two girls). If there were more, the two Uchihas weren't sure they would hold themselves back from snapping their necks.

(She was _theirs_, dammit. And since when did they think she was theirs?)

The days came and went, and slowly, oh so slowly, she was getting better.

"How long will you continue to hide?"

Her soft, raspy voice made them flinch. She didn –

But then, they almost got a whiplash.

She was _awake!_

Golden eyes between the hooded eyelids looked at their respective hiding places lazily, and a pale smirk curled on her lips.

They fought not to blush, but by widening her smirk, they knew their efforts were futile. They simply couldn't be Uchihas in her presence.

Just Sasuke and Itachi.

"You are awake." Sasuke stated, dark eyes wide, his voice choking with happy disbelief and terror.

"Yeah." She rasped back and in that moment, she looked like angel. Broken, battered angel, but angel nonetheless- even if Sasuke knew the monster she could be on the battlefield, and of the monster that she held back in her belly.

He looked his brother hesitantly approach her.

"Aya-kun." The soft timbre held in a wealth of emotions, and for just a short moment, he felt a flash of envy at Itachi's courage. And pity.

Itachi was trembling as he approached her - so very grateful she didn't dismiss him and terrified because now, he was out in the light, and he really shouldn't be here, because he didn't deserve it, but he was selfish, and he would do everything in his power to just be in her presence for a little longer, hoard her attention a little bit more.

"Aya…" He choked out as he crashed on his knees beside her bed, making her look at him with alarm. Hesitantly, he reached his arm out, fingers itching to touch her, to make sure that she was here, she was real, and not the figment of his desperate imagination. Slowly, so very slowly, her hand rose, and gently touched his own, her touch soft and fragile like butterfly's. And his eyesight blurred and he only saw the pale colors as he bowed his head and inhaled the scent of antiseptics, and peach with iron under note, missing the small hint of the tea's bitterness.

But she was here. She was _alive._

And then, he was there too – '_Sasuke,' _- Aya mused fuzzily, as the ex-avenger occupied the other side of the bed, grabbing her hand like a greedy kid – so very desperate and his eyes so very lonely.

"I am here." She rasped out fondly, as her heart reached out for the two lonely boys - no not boys, they were men In their own right, but right now, they were boys.

Her boys.

Her hand touched the dark, moonless strands of Itachi's hair gently, as he nuzzled into her, and when Sasuke brought her hand higher, the callused fingers guiding her own to touch his cheek and catch the wisps of the black, dark blue-hued strands, until he allowed himself to bend and she cradled their heads on her body, touching their heads, and threading through the warm hair softly.

Then, she allowed the warmth that seeped from them through her hands and body reach and fill her heart.

_She was finally home. _

Closing her eyes, she smiled.

**_The End_**


End file.
